Apparatus for cleaning strands



Oct. 3, 1944. A. LOGAN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STRANDS Filed Sept. 4, 1942 INVEN 70/? A. LOGAN ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1944 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STRANDS Alexander Logan, Dundalk, Md., assignor to West ern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 4, 1942, Serial No. 457,255

1 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning strands.

In the manufacture of coaxial cables, a plurality of discs of insulating material are positioned upon a central conductor and a tubular conductor disposed over the discs. Each of the insulating discs has a V-shaped slot formed therein into which the central conductor is forced. It was discovered that, when the insulating discs were thus applied to a central conductor whose surface was not clean, a minute film of dirt, metallic dust, or the like was deposited upon the edges of the V-shaped slot in the insulating disc and provided a path of a low resistance between the central conductor and the outer tubular conductor.

A second source of trouble in coaxial circuits is the presence of slivers on the surface of the central conductor. The formation of these slivers and the damage they cause is common knowledge to those familiar with the art of drawin and insulating copper wire. In a coaxial circuit such slivers may extend from the central conductor toward the outer tubular conductor and form a path or bridge of low resistance. These two sources of trouble, if present, reduce the insulation resistance between the two conductors and often lead to defective circuits which may not be discovered until after installation of the cables. These difficulties may be eliminated by thoroughly cleaning the central conductor to remove any dirt, grease, grit, splinters, etc., which might cause trouble.

An object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for cleaning strands.

An apparatus embodying the present invention comprises means for advancing a strand through the apparatus, a plurality of friction members positioned about the path of the strand, and means for simultaneously rotating the friction members'about their individual axes and revolving them about the path of the strand to effect a brushing action upon the strand.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus for cleaning strands, and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, a hollow cylindrical frame I is fastened by means of 'screwsll-H to blocks |2-|2. The blocks |2|2 are rotatably mounted upon hollow shafts l4 and I5 which rotate in bearing brackets l6 and I8 aflixed to a container 22. A pulley I9 is fastened to the shaft l5 by means of a set screw 20 and is connected to a power source (not shown) by means of a belt 2|. The container 22 retains a supply of cleaning liquid 24, such as carbon tetrachloride, just sufficient to cover the lower portion of the frame H]. A number of elongated slots 2525 are formedin the frame ID to admit the cleaning liquid 24 to the interior thereof. The container 22 is provided with a cover 26 connected thereto by a hinge 28 to permit convenient access to the apparatus within the container. Four arbors 2929 are rotatably mounted in the blocks l2l2, each arbor having formed thereon an enlarged disc-like portion 30 which acts as a washer and restricts longitudinal movement of the arbors. Over each arbor 29 is positioned a sleeve 3l which is longitudinally adjusted upon the arbor 29 by means of a set screw 32. The arbors 2929 are uniformly spaced about the path of a strand 34 (see Fig. 2)' so that each of the arbors 29 is diametrically ope posite another arbor relative to the path of the;

strand 34.- Over each of-the sleeves 3| areposi tioned a plurality of friction members 33-33, which in the particular embodiment of the invention herein described are composed of a number of felt pads 35-35 held between metal rings 36-36. The friction members are separated from one another by means of tubularspacers 3838 and are secured against longitudinal movement along the sleeve 3| by means of an end spacer 39 which screw threadedly engages the sleeve 3| and may be secured in the desired position by means of a set screw 40 which engages the shaft 29. The friction members 33-33 mounted upon diametrically opposite arbors 2929 are positioned in the same vertical plane and are offset from the friction members mounted upon the other two arbors.

Each arbor 29 has a narrowed end portion 4| upon which a. pinion gear 42 is mounted by means of a pin 44. All of the pinion gears 4242 mesh with a stationary ring gear 45 attached to the bearing block l6 by means of screws 46-46.

In the operation of the device, the strand 34 is passed from left to right through the device, as shown in Fig, 1 of the accompanying drawing. The pulley I9 is rotated by means of the belt 2| and causes the frame l0 and the blocks l2-l2 carried thereby to rotate. The rotation of the blocks |2l2 causes the arbors 2929 to simultaneously revolve about the path of the strand 34 with the frame In and to rotate upon their individual axes through the engagement of the pinion gears 42-42 with the stationary ring gear This planetary gear arrangement causes all of the arbors 2929 and the friction members 3333 mounted thereon to rotate in the same direction at the same time, but in a direction 0pposite to that in which the frame l0 rotates;

' to a minimum. As the friction members carried by the arbors 29-29 revolve about the path of the strand 34, they are carried through the upper portion of the cleaning liquid 24 and because the members are continuously rotating, their entire surfaces are intermittently immersed in the cleaning liquid 24. Since the pads 35-35, which contact the strand'34 to be cleaned, are made of felt, they are constantly saturated with the cleaning liquid. By constantly flooding the surface of the strand 34with a liquid which dissolves grease, oil, etc. andby continuously brushing the strand with the felt pads 35-35, all grease, dirt, grit, splinters and the like are removed from the strand, leaving the surface thereof'free from any substance which might cause abreak down of the cable. In order to prevent the concentration of the dirt and metallic dust that has been removed from the strand 34 from building up Within the supply of cleaning liquid ing of the central conductor of a coaxial cable would introduce undesirable characteristics into the cable. Furthermore, the describedembodiment of the invention provides a large cleaning area in contact with the central conductor, whereas the over-all dimensions of the cleaning deviceare comparatively small. Since the container 22 retains a considerable quantity of cleaning liquid 24, the felt pads 35-35 of the friction member 33-33 are continuously being cleaned by the relatively fresh cleaning liquid 'which they contact when they are immersed therein.

A number of changes may be made in the hereinabove described apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the number of rotating arbors or the number of friction members on each arbor may be changed. Fabrics other than felt, brushes, etc. may be substituted for the felt used in the pads 35.35 in the friction members 33-33. The cleaning liquid may be composed of any degreasing agent, although carbon tetrachloride is preferred because of its non-inflammability. It is desirable to use a cleaning fluid that will evaporate from the conductor rapidly and thus eliminate a subsequent drying operation.

What is claimed is:

In an apparatus for cleaning strands, a con tainer for retaining a cleaning liquid, a hollow cylindrical frame rotatably mounted within the container so as to be partially submerged in the cleaning liquid and having elongated slots formed therein to admit the cleaning liquid therein, the container and frame each having openingstherein to permit the passage of a strand therethrough, means for rotating the frame, a plurality of arbors rotatably mounted within the frame about the axis of the frame, each arbor being diametrically opposite to another arbor, a plurality of fabric surfaced discs mounted upon each arbor so that the fabric surfaces of the disc contact a strand passing through the frame along the axis thereof, and means to rotate the arbors and the discs disposed thereon when the frame is rotated. ALEXANDER LOGAN. 

